Counting The Days
by Myahle
Summary: Contest Entry for the GinRan community on LJ.   Rangiku never really counted the days until she met him. SPOILERS for recent manga chapters


Disclaimer/ I own nothing ~ Tite Kubo owns Bleach.

My first GINRAN fic ;D Reviews are nice, but nice & easy okay?

* * *

The boy peeked through the bushes at the group of men. They were loud and reckless, rudely tormenting whatever victim that lie beneath their feet. The boy watched as the men laughed, taunting the figure with the parcels of food they had. A man with glasses stepped forward and gave each of the men a handful of what he had stolen from the innocent.

_This guy…this guy's the boss…_

The boy lowered himself quickly as the men shunpo`d by his hiding place. He then cautiously rose up and made his way over to what the men were crowded around.

His frown deepened.

A young girl lay there, battered and broken. Her blonde hair was sprawled out behind her covered in blood and dirt. Her hakama was torn and ripped, her breast slightly exposed. She was emaciated, gazing off in one direction, completely oblivious to the boy that stood over her. She was beautiful and mature for her young age, an innocent target for those malicious shinigami. Shifting the bundle of food in his arms, the boy outstretched one pale hand to the girl's mouth with a piece of dried persimmon.

"Hey," he said softly.

The girl made no response.

"Eat up," he tried again, pressing the food closer. "If you can collapse with hunger, you must have spiritual power." The girl's eyes weakly met his. They were a translucent blue, that of sky. He boy smiled as she made and effort to speak.

"You too…?" she asked weakly, her voice straining. She blinked lightly as the boy replied with a perky "Yup".

"Ichimaru Gin," he grinned. "Nice to meet you."

"Gin…" she said gently, her eyes taking in the boy's features. His hair was an odd color, a silver that complimented his unusually pale skin. He was also lean and underweight, but his smile, mysterious and misleading, gave no sign of any struggle the boy faced. The girl blinked a few times and closed her eyes.

"That's a weird name."

* * *

"Ran, run!"

Rangiku raised up from her position behind a shrub, her short blonde hair falling around her shoulders. She sighed in irritation as she saw the silver haired boy running at her with a devious grin, waving his arm in excitement.

"I thought you said you wouldn't get caught?" she protested.

"Shh, just keep runnin'!" he laughed, pulling the girl by the hand and pushing her in front of him as they ran. Rangiku looked behind her at the angry mob of people chasing them.

"Damn kids!"

"Give back the food you stole!"

"Pervert!" a woman screamed.

Rangiku deadpanned as Gin scratched his head awkwardly. The two ran out of the Rukongai and into the forest, losing the mob. Coming to a stop, Rangiku turned and faced the boy behind her as he gathered his breath. Feeling her gaze, he looked up at her, his smile never faltering. Reaching in his kimono, he pulled out a loaf of bread and a dried persimmon, handing both to the her.

"Aren't you going to eat one?" she asked.

"I ain't hungry yet." He drew both of his hands behind his head casually, turning away from her. Rangiku frowned as she heard his stomach say otherwise.

She stared down at the persimmon and bread in her hands. Persimmons were her favorite food thanks to him, but she never told him that. If it wasn't for Gin, she would've died. He had saved her life, and if anything, she owed him…but even if that was the case, she had nothing to give. He always took care of her, putting himself last. She blinked, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes.

"I'm such a burden," she said remorsefully. Gin turned in surprise, a frown forming. He watched as Rangiku wiped at the tears now spilling down her cheeks. "D-Don't cry! You're not a burden, Ran." He gently put his frail arms around the girl as she cried into his chest. "I'm telling' ya you're not," he assured.

_You saved me from this loneliness…_

_

* * *

_

"Look at that those!"

"They're just stars…"

"They make a shape, stupid. Those look like a shovel, don't they?"

"Where? I don't see it."

"Of course not. You're eyes aren't open."

"Nah, I just can't see through your enormous breasts."

"Oh please."

"Though that's not a _bad_ thing…ow!"

Rangiku smiled as she laid back down on the grass beside Gin, who rubbed his jaw with an amused grin. It was cold night, clear enough to see every star the sky. The two lay in an open field not too far off from the abandoned cabin they stayed in. Gin watched the blonde girl as she eagerly pointed out shapes to him. Her eyes danced with light as she named every shape and alignment she knew of. He continued to watch her even as her eyes met his. "Don't you wish," she said softly, "that time could stay still, and peaceful days like this would last?"

It had been three years since he found her. They both had aged since then, but were not old enough to be called adults. In the eyes of society, they were still kids, naïve and outcasts of the Soul Society, despite each having a significant amount of reiatsu. Rangiku frowned as Gin's smile faded.

"What's wrong?"

"It's been three years," he said with sorrow in his voice.

Rangiku touched his cheek with her palm. "Tell me." With Gin, it was always hard to read his emotions. She had learned over time that he wasn't one to express his feelings openly, instead masking them with a smile that could mislead even the wisest of men. Gin turned to face the girl beside him.

"Rangiku hasn't had a birthday celebration in three years."

Rangiku couldn't help but smile at his sad expression. She laughed a little and shrugged, making the boy beside her sit up and frown harder.

"When is your birthday, Rangiku?" His face was serious as the girl sat up, holding back her laughter with a delicate hand. "Does it really matter to you that much?" she asked.

Gin crossed his arms, and Rangiku's smile faded. She stared down at the ground, tracing a finger in the dirt as she spoke.

"I don't know," she said, her tone serious. "I never really counted days until I met you…" She blushed, looking up at Gin who remained motionless as he listened. He raised his eyebrows as she averted her gaze to the ground again.

"…then, the day you met me is your birthday."

Rangiku looked at Gin with wide eyes. He smiled in return and stood up, offering a hand to the blonde. "How about that, Rangiku?"

The girl smiled, tears forming in her eyes as she took his hand.

If only time could truly stop.

* * *

Blood dripped from the sword.

Gin's eyes traced over the motionless body at his feet. The man's face was contorted with pain and horror, his arm twisted in an angle unimaginable.

He had done nothing wrong- no, he disserved to die.

All of them disserve to die.

Gin wiped the sword on the man's black hakama as blood pooled underneath him. "My, my…" a voice said, cautiously approaching. The young boy turned slightly, facing a man with shaggy brown hair and glasses. _The same man_.

"You're quite strong for your age," he sounded amused.

"That's because…I'm like a snake," Gin replied, grinning wide with a sadistic smile.

Rangiku ran, the cold wind pricking at her skin. Her red eyes stung as the tears fell from her bruised face. She ran faster, despite the noticeable limp from her right leg, and bruised arm she held close to her chest. Upon her arrival to the cabin, she fell down onto the cold, damp rug.

He was gone.

He had left with no trace- left without her.

She cried silently, pounding the earth with her fist in rage. How could he leave her? Was she really a burden? No- he told her she wasn't…but…

Thoughts filled her head as she lay broken once again on the cold ground, illuminated in the light of the moon. She had no energy left to cry, or move, or even to feel hatred towards the boy she gave her heart and trust to.

"Ran…"

As if a sudden burst of adrenaline rushed through her veins, Rangiku pushed herself up and stared into the darkness. Her heart leaped as she felt warm arms snake around her waist from behind, Gin's face pressing into her neck. "Y-You came back," she cried, releasing herself after a moment and facing him. Though she couldn't see, she reached up and held his face with her good arm.

"You're covered in blood," he stated in low voice. Withdrawing her hand, Rangiku frowned. "Who did this to you?" he asked, his tone serious. Rangiku looked away with guilt.

"I-I was looking for you, and got hungry. I tried taking some food back to the cabin, but…"

Gin stood up and walked briskly out of the cabin. Yanking a blanket up, Rangiku wrapped it around herself and followed him out, running after him. "Gin!" she called, but stopped short, taking in his appearance.

"Those are Shinigami clothes…where did you get them?"

He kept walking forward, pulling together the robes.

"Gin!" she cried out, trying to catch up.

"I've decided,"

Rangiku stopped in her tracks, staring at him with wide eyes.

"I'm going to become a Shinigami…"

Gin turned slightly and frowned back at her. "…become a Shinigami and change things so that they'll end without having Rangiku to cry."

Rangiku was at a loss of words. All she could do was stand there and watch as he turned his back on her without any hesitation, walking farther into the distance.

Rangiku fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face.

_You're so stupid …_

_

* * *

_

This was it.

Gin watched as his former captain writhed in pain before him. Opening his palm, Gin observed the tiny orb of distortion in his hand.

He could finally give back to her what was stolen.

* * *

"Gin!"

An angel?

"Gin!"

It's her.

"Look at me, Gin! Please wake up!"

His body hurt in all places- every nerve and muscle cried out in unison with pain. He knew he was going to die. The silver haired man coughed slightly, blood seeping from his lips. Gradually, he opened his eyes, though his vision was already blurry and his mind delusional, playing an awful trick on him during his last minutes of life. He saw _her_. Her long golden hair brushing his face as she leaned over him. Her eyes were intense with fear, brimming with tears as she took in the sight of him.

He had never truly looked at her until then.

The woman sobbed on him, begging for him not to die. It didn't hurt anymore, maybe because she was there, he decided. His eyes focused in on her face as they grew heavier.

_Rangiku, in the end it didn't work._

He closed his eyes, her screams fading out.

_I couldn't get back what was taken from you._

_Ahh, I knew it. _

_I'm glad I said sorry._

* * *

"Lieutenant Matsumoto, you are requested by Captain Hitsugaya."

"Thank you, sir."

_This late? _Rangiku sighed as she tidied up her work area and headed out of the barracks. Her captain could have just came and got her, after all, she _was_ only doing paperwork. Hopping over the railing, she fell down behind the tiny captain and sighed.

"Yes Captain?"

"Rangiku." he deadpanned. "Take a walk with me."

She raised her eyebrows in amusement. "Gee, since when did you have guts to talk to a lady like that~?"

"Shut up and let's get going already," he retorted irritably.

Before she knew it, the two were on the rooftops. Rangiku spotted Lieutenants Izuru Kira and Hinamori Momo sitting idly off to one side. Momo jumped up and seized the woman by her arm, leading her over to Kira. Beside Kira there were a pile of boxes that were oddly decorated, each with beautiful ribbons attached on them.

"Do you know what today is?" the captain asked from behind the blonde. Rangiku turned around and frowned with a clueless expression.

"It's September 29th."

"Gee captain, that explains a lot." Rangiku scratched her head.

"It's your birthday, Rangiku."

"Surprise!" shouted Inoue as she popped up from behind Rangiku. Several other shinigami appeared and threw in their greetings to the startled woman.

"I had completely forgotten!" she lied, faking the excitement. "Oh well~ Who's ready for some sake?"

_It's really that time of the year…_

_How long has it been, Gin?_

"Forgotten? I'm truly hurt that ya forgot me, Ran" a familiar voice called out. Rangiku froze, her eyes brimming with familiar tears.

_Far too long._


End file.
